I´ve been used Gamespot for many years now to keep track of my 400+ games collection. The old list was very functional and a liked it very much. However, the new “stacks” are a complete train-wreck!

I know lots of people are complaining about the stacks in some forum threads. Adding a couple of buttons or changing little things is hardly going to give us the same kind of functionality the old list provided.

Addition to the original post:

Moreover, I confirm what some users are reporting here. Many games disappeared from my list: in my case were about 30 in a list of 400+. In addition, some entries in my list changed to a completely different game, while its link was still pointing to the correct game.

The game databases seems to have changed as well, and some games are missing, for example, many entries on the "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego" series.

So I decided to do 2 things:

1) List all the features from the old list that I liked and are missing now, in the hope that Gamespot will change something and I won’t have to transfer my 400+ list to somewhere else.

2) Present my brief research of alternatives to the stacks in Gamespot.

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1) Things missing in Gamespot stacks:

a) You can’t transfer a game from one stack to another (seriously Gamespot?)

b) You can’t organize your stack by any sort of info (like “release date”, GS Rating”, “My Rating”). Alas, this info is not even present in the lists. Again, this should be basic.

c) The lists present a “beautiful” design that occupies a lot of space for each entry, especially with a blank box that probably few people will use anyway, thus decreasing the number of games that appear in one screen.

d) You have to click “Edit” to remove or add a game on the stack.

e) Can’t add a game directly from the search results game (useful when adding several games, so you don’t need to get into their page to add them).

f) From the games page you need to click the “+” sign to add the game to some stack. However, the box which contains the “+” sign (together with other game infos) now floats somewhere in the page instead of being in a fixed place, like the upper left corner as before.

g) From the aforementioned “+” sign, you can only Follow the game, or add it to 3 standard stacks (Finished, Wishlist, Played), and none of them is “I Own”.

f) Before, when I entered in “My Collection” page, all my games were listed in a single page (very long, but single). There I could search for any game in my collection and it showed many infos, like release date, ratings and so on. I could just Copy and Paste the list into Excel. Now “I Own” is thinly spread out in many pages, with no option for “list only” and in one page.

g) I could rate my games with 0.5 steps. Now the rating is only in 1.0 steps. Gamespot wrote in the FAQs that this new rating system was to make Gamespot’s rating more clear. I don’t understand how decreasing the rate resolution would do this, but at least I would like to rate my games at least in 0.5 steps.

h) Gamespot could add an “Export to Excel” feature. I know this was not present before, but IGN and IMDB have it for their lists, so the question is why not?

Addition to the Original Post:

i) The stacks allow the addition of duplicates in the same stack

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2) Looking for alternatives to keep tracks of my games, I found the following on a shallow research:

GiantBomb – The lists feature is about the same as in current Gamespot.

IGN - Can't create custom lists. Only options are Wishlist or Collection. The highest points are to rate games in 0.1 steps and to export the full list to an Excel file. It seems not very user friendly for bulk game management.

GameFaqs - Good lists, with some details to fill in (like game length, how much you completed, and so on). It seems not user friendly for bulk game management.

Grouvee - Very attractive design and user friendly. Can create custom lists. Good (but not perfect) for bulk management. Rating only in 5 stars (5 steps only). Import games from Steam. Their database seems to come from GiantBomb, and is not very complete. Moreover, all platforms are listed for each game, but you can’t select to list of a specific platform.

1UP – The lists are acceptable, but not very user friendly or attractive. However, it seems easier for bulk administration.

Raptr - The main intent is to keep track of your achievements, so games that you have achievements but not own anymore will be listed. You don’t have full control. However, automatically imports your games from Steam, Live and PSN. I think it should also import from Origin and UPlay, but don’t. I think the site is a little bit cluttered with all those social features.

RFGeneration - Very good and compreensive database of games, including old ones, with variations by platform and so on. Very good source for information. Lists are good for bulk management, not very attractive.

GameTZ - Site dedicated to game trading. You can create lists with details of your game collection (box, manual, etc.). Lists are good for bulk management, not very attractive.

VGRebirth – More of a game database than a site for lists. Old look.

Backloggery – Allow for good lists, with plenty of information to put in, but have no game database. You gave to input everything (name, year, so on).

GameCollectorz - a paid software, not a website. It seems a very good software, full of fields to fill in. Seems more to the serious collector than to the gamer trying to only keep tracks of its games.

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I personally would change Gamespot stacks for:

1) IGN – Because it’s a big website and won’t go out of business easily, while you still can get game news and a community. The export to Excel feature is a big plus. However, you have to adapt to have only “Collection” and “Wishlist” options.

2) Grouvee – Would be a good second option. A site dedicated to collection management, with a beautiful and functional interface. The capability to import games from your Steam library is a big plus. Lacking some games from my collection.

However, the database of both is not as good as Gamespot's, in terms of titles recorded and amount of information.